Tag Archives: olympics

Conviction news today, with a gang of serial cash-in-transit robbers banged up for a combined total of over 70 years. Unsurprisingly, this has been welcomed by cash-in-transit firm G4S Cash Services (UK). Justice.

We’ve also got a new story about retail product tagging from ace retail product tagging reporter Alan Hyder. He previously reported on meat. Today, it’s shoes. Previously, I had not thought that expensive cuts of meat and shoes had very much in common. Other than when I am wearing my meat shoes. Also, my leather shoes. It’s an interesting story!

Continuing our meaty theme, Interconnective is selling ‘TurtleSkin’ gloves and armguards for security officers. This would be more distasteful if the products were actually made from turtles. Which they aren’t. They are not actually made of turtles. They’re synthetic! Truly.

There’s been a heck of a lot of security-related news, I can certainly tell you that! Every day, it seems like the majority of stories we cover are related to the field of security in some way. Hopefully this week is not wildly different to any other!

Today we bring you the news of the Olympic security guarding contractor – G4S Security Services UK – which will look to train up local residents to protect the Olympic Park construction. Laudable? Or not laudable? Your call.

And in the current climate of financial meltdown and impending economical apocalypse, one lone voice can be heard, taking a stand for the security installation sector, and heroically providing links to items of interest. That voice belongs to Alan Hyder, and his weapon: the SI Editor’s View. Read it!

In other news, investigators from the SIA got together in a field, pitched tents, drank warm lager and listened to music being played over a mile away, as they celebrated the ‘Festival of Compliance‘. Actually, that’s not quite what happened (I think) – they went to some music festivals in summer and checked the security staff’s licensing credentials. Groovy!

One security officer who may end up gracing the main stage at the inaugural Festival of Compliance (and I urge the SIA to make this a reality in time for next summer) is Mitie’s Verity Hartopp, who played her acoustic guitar to victory in a company-wide talent competition. She received her winning prize from Ozzy and Sharon Osborne impersonators. Awesome.

Something that you may have missed: Professor Martin Gill, director of PRCI, has been showing off his tool. Luckily, people seem to like it.

We also pondered stadium security, particularly in the wake of the Beijing Olympics and some event that those in the know are calling ‘London 2012’. And as the article in question deals with the use of sensors, I briefly considered headlining it ‘Sensor Perspective’. But then I came to my senses. Or sensors! Hahaha. Sorry.

In more fun news, you can play an online game with QED that involves flinging dome cameras down London streets, and win one of the Midas domes yourself.

And you can laugh knowingly at the Danish employee who inadvertently tested his firm’s security capacity by setting off their fog system. You silly man.

But this is no coincidence – we have two lovely conferences coming up, one of which is about Next Generation CCTV, and the other on The Threat Within (which is dastardly employees.) Feel free to attend one or both.

And for those of you who enjoyed last week’s ridiculously sweary parrot – here’s another instalment. But again, though, be aware that it’s not for the easily offended and it’s not for kids. And it’s possibly not safe to have blaring out in the middle of your office, depending on how blue your workplace is.

Pauline Norstrom is worldwide head of marketing for Dedicated Micros (which is part of the AD Group, apparently). She is also chairman of the BSIA’s CCTV section. Now she’s giving a keynote address at the fantastic Next Generation CCTV conference. Top stuff! You should also visit The Threat Within conference, as I am reliably informed it is superb.

To ease you into the weekend, Mr Frankie Valli comes on all stalkerish in this week’s Songs About Security. And for the strong of constitution, here is a video of a parrot swearing quite a lot. Not for kids, and not for those easily offended. But amusing.

And Alan Hyder reports on the latest ingenious use of intelligent video – this time it’s being employed to detect and record images of meteors that disintegrate in the Earth’s atmosphere. Meteoric!

Alan’s most recent SI Editor’s View has prompted a couple of interesting defences of biometrics. Have a read and see if you agree with our contributors.

In case you hadn’t heard, the Olympic Games took place in Chinese city Beijing in August. Panasonic’s Claire Millington was there, and today she has graciously allowed us a peek inside her diary for the days that she was there. Exclusive!

Are you a fan of conferences? Do you like conferencing? These are some conferences you should go to. Next Generation CCTV! And The Threat Within! They’re about different elements of the security business, and are guaranteed to be thought provoking and interesting as all get-out.